Do any of you ever use your tow/haul button as an option when coasting down long hills? I occasionally do and I’m wondering if there is any problem or issue with it. Any harm. Will it hurt the transmission?

 

I don't believe it would cause harm using it as it would just provide engine braking via a downshift at the tap of the brake pedal.
I use tow/haul mode when traveling in rush hour on the highway were there is rapid acceleration followed by hard braking just to keep people from lane hopping into my safety gap.

 

Won’t harm anything; it’s doing what it was designed to do. Sounds like it’ll blow up, but it won’t.

 

Not a problem at all, as mentioned above. It's no different than you manually downshifting via the select-shift buttons by locking out the upper gears with the +/- button; that's usually how I do it without a trailer. As also mentioned above the tow/haul can be a bit aggressive in its approach to downshifting; its no problem, however, that's why I prefer to just lock out the top gears an those occasions. When towing, I always use tow/haul; its fabulous technology!

Edit: on one occasion, in CO, on I-70 eastbound coming down from the Eisenhower Tunnel (a very long-steep downhill grade off the peak of the continental divide), with the cruise on, the truck automatically downshifted, not in tow/haul nor having locked out the top gears, all of its own accord! I was amazed! It sensed the terrain and took care of it. Cool!

 

Thanks. Glad to hear that

 

I always use the tow haul button on my 2011 F150 When towing my travel trailer. Trailer loaded is about 7000 lbs. going uphill the tow haul holds the shift to a higher range. Downhill it will shift down if the truck accelerates to quickly or if you apply the brakes. With the 5.0 the tow haul works well. Can’t say for the 3.5 yet as I haven’t had the chance to tow my trailer yet. I have heard that application of brake will likely be required in addiction to the tow haul mode. I do use it as well without the trailer when doing big climbs or descents on highway passes.
I will say it was out there for a reason. Use it.

 

Thanks to all. I guess the smell came from a sticking e-brake

 

I find tow haul too aggressive.

I use M, then you get control about as close to a manual gear box as they'll let us have.

Perhaps I don't have hills like others, but any of the 70 MPH 4 lane highway hills I've been on with my 6000 lb travel trailer I've never had to ride the brakes or gear down even in M6

 

Without hills I’d likely never use it either. I like the engine braking when towing in hills and the fact that the trans doesn’t hunt and shift as often. My 2011 had the 5.0 and didn’t shift as often. I’ll be interested to see how the 3.5 handles our 7000lb trailer. I’m pretty certain power will be there. Hopefully a tad better or at least similar fuel usage too.
No matter what I’m liking the creature comforts of the newer model.

 

My 09 doesn’t have manual shifting options like the newer trucks. But I do like the tow button instead of dragging my brakes down big hills

 

I have a 2010 with just the tow button. When I tow my boat ~ 6,500 lbs. I use the tow mode up the mountain, but coming down I take it out of tow mode. I don't like the downshift every time I tap on the brakes. The surge brakes on my trailer are probably holding me back with just the normal engine breaking in high gear.
I would much rather replace disk pads than increase wear on the trans.
Maybe if the grade was more severe and more tight corners I would keep it in tow, but for now I would much rather replace brake disk pads than increase wear in the trans.

 

wrong forum

 

I tested my 2014 SCREW Ecoboost last weekend with a tow from Ledyard, CT to Hancock, NY up through the Catskills. I went straight to tow mode since I was towing about 8500 pounds for the 4.5 hour trip each way. This truck has so much more power than my old F250 with the 5.4. It never hunted for gears and only on 7% or steeper long climbs would it even go to 4th gear. It liked 5th and about 2600 RPM and could maintain 65mph without issue. Absolutely love the engine braking, but it is aggressive. The engine revved much higher for engine braking than it ever did for pulling, but some of those hills are 9-10% so it was much less wear and tear and on the brakes. I did set the tripometer and the truck gets thirsty when towing up and down hills. Averaged 9.5mpg.

 

Tow/haul mode on these trucks is fantastic, especially as it relates to engine braking. A lot of the guys in here are just scared of the noise from the higher rpms but fear not. It's noisy but isn't causing any additional wear and tear. What will cause catastrophic wear/tear is overheating your brakes down a series of steep inclines because you were scared to use the tools Ford has provided us and launching off the side of a mountain